Mantel clock Gustav Gurschner ca. 1906

Gustav Gurschner shaped the decorative arts around 1900 with his small-scale sculptures and everyday objects, distinguished by a highly individual and expressive formal language.
This mantel clock is a striking example of his approach, harmoniously combining contrasting materials and surfaces. Cast in darkly patinated bronze, it features silvered sections adorned with ornamental foliage and continuous relief bands that elegantly wrap around both the upper and lower parts of the case. The juxtaposition of smooth, dark surfaces with richly decorated areas is a hallmark of Gurschner’s work.
The design is not typical of the Jugendstil; instead, it blends archaic-inspired elements with floral motifs, reflecting Gurschner’s distinctive ornamental vocabulary.